links for 2009-08-21

• BBC - BBC Radio 4 Programmes - When Harry Met Sally At 20
  Half hour documentary about one of my top five favourite films. Hopefully better than director Rob Reiner's commentary on the dvd which amounts to "Billy was very clever ............Meg was very clever............ that's my mother .........."
  
  
• Claire Danes Black Book Re-Vamp | Allie Is Wired!
  Danes seems to be doing her best impression of Ute Lemper here. Without the singing. Because it's on paper.
  
  
• BBC - Kermode Uncut Blog: In the Realm of James Ferman
  On why the new release of Oshima's Ai No Corrida (AKA In the Realm of the Senses) has been cut. It's not for the reason you might expect.
  
  
• Spotify: The Ventures – Major Motion Picture
  80s soundtrack themes recorded in the style of The Shadows. Yes, I know.
  
  
• Spotify: David Essex – St. Elmo's Fire
  About as magnificent as you'd expect. Fairly committed orchestral backing track, slightly less committed vocal.
  
  
• Spotify: Susanna Hoffs – When You're a Boy
  What I was probably really listening to when you all discovered Oasis.
  
  
• Daily Post column: Too much Tesco?
  Yes. Indeed. When Annette was here and we walked the city without trying to we managed to pass all of them except the original Metro in Clayton Square. That might be a sign of convenience but it is also a sign of the chain going for a strangle hold in the city. If the shops were tanks it would look like a seige. And opening one next door to The Philharmonic Pub on Hope Street. Really? That's not going to screw up the character of the area is it?
  
  
• Valleywag: Delicious Forbidden Fruit
  Valleywag (Gawker) discovers Spotify. Incidentally, I've paid for a Premium account. The FrankMusik adverts were getting on my wick. It is also very strange not be hearing the slow reading Amy MacDonald every ten minutes.
  
  
• All about reviewing
  Paul Magrs is exasperated by amateur book reviewers. Me to. I hate them (!).
  
  
• Gingerbread man on the Tube
  But then, as I found out, if you're caught smiling on the tube people think you're weird.
  
  
• 'BBC4 is all about purpose, proposition and passion' | Richard Klein
  The new BBC Four controller talks about what he's trying to achieve: "BBC4 is all about purpose, proposition and passion and all with a twinkle in our eye."
  
  
• BBC Four Autumn 2009/Winter 2010: press pack
  Blimey, this looks strong. Loads of new biographical drama, a season of programmes about the digital revolution and games (seek out the trailer for Syntax Era -- it's hilarious). The press pack is visually very interesting too, very web 2.0 (ish).